CVE-2022-0984 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This article provides an overview of CVE-2022-0984, a vulnerability that affected Moodle versions 3.11.6, 3.10.10, and 3.9.13, allowing users to configure course badges with profile field criteria intended for site badges only.

Understanding CVE-2022-0984

CVE-2022-0984 is a vulnerability in Moodle that enables specific users to manipulate badge criteria beyond their intended scope, potentially leading to misconfiguration of course badges.

What is CVE-2022-0984?

The vulnerability in Moodle allowed users with certain permissions to configure course badges with profile field criteria usually meant for site badges, leading to unauthorized badge configurations.

The Impact of CVE-2022-0984

The impact of this vulnerability could result in improper badge attribution in Moodle courses, potentially affecting the integrity and accuracy of user badges.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-0984

This section covers the technical aspects of the CVE, including the vulnerability description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

Users with badge configuration privileges could misuse profile field criteria for course badges instead of adhering to the intended usage for site badges, compromising badge integrity.

Affected Systems and Versions

Moodle versions 3.11.6, 3.10.10, and 3.9.13 were impacted by this vulnerability, allowing users with specific permissions to exploit the misconfiguration of badge criteria.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging their badge configuration capabilities, certain users could manipulate course badges to include profile field criteria, leading to potential misattribution of badges within Moodle.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we discuss the steps to address and prevent CVE-2022-0984 to enhance system security and integrity.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Moodle to the latest patched version to mitigate the vulnerability and prevent unauthorized badge configurations.
Restrict badge configuration privileges to authorized personnel to avoid misuse of badge criteria.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review badge configurations and criteria to ensure alignment with the intended use case and security guidelines.
Conduct security training for Moodle administrators to raise awareness about proper badge configuration practices and potential risks.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by Moodle to address vulnerabilities promptly and maintain a secure Moodle environment.